We have heard from the Foundation for Common Land (FCL) today that Defra Ministers have authorised the RPA to make BPS payments to as many commoners as possible by the end of December 2016. This includes commoners who have unresolved issues with their 2015 payments.

We have worked with the Foundation for Common Land (FCL), the National Farmers Union, the Country Landowners Association, Yorkshire Federation, Dartmoor Commoners Council and others to put pressure on RPA to complete BPS 2015 payments for commoners. At the end of November 1200 commoners (many in Cumbria) were still waiting for their full payment.

Brexit is a game changer for agriculture. The government of the United Kingdom will have to develop its own policy towards farming and rural land use to replace the Common Agricultural Policy. If commoning is to remain viable in this post-Brexit world, then commoners need to have a voice in the design of new agricultural policy and systems of payment. We believe a commons council for Cumbria is now more necessary than ever. It will give us better chance of getting heard and help us maintain the commons and promote good standards of livestock husbandry.

We have had a response to our joint letter from the NFU, CLA and the Federation to Mark Grimshaw, CEO of RPA - see below. We will be meeting Paul Caldwell Operations Director, RPA in Carlisle on November 25th.

NFU will be puting together a number of questions that we want answers to on the day. If you have any suggestions, please get in touch.

It was reported in the Cumberland News that George Eustice, Minister of State, Defra told the audience at the Northern Farmer Conference in Hexham, last week that as far as he was aware all commoners had now received their 2015 farm payments. We know that this is not true, but then he may have been misreported.

Today I sent him the following e-mail and I will post his response when I receive it.